Film carriage ring for horizontal stretch film wrapping or packaging machines, and a method of making the same

Abstract

A composite ring member comprises an annular ring member and an annular reinforcing ring member welded to the external peripheral portion of the annular ring member. The annular ring member comprises a tubular stock member, having a substantially rectangular or square-shaped cross-sectional configuration, which is bent into the form of the annular ring member and the free end portions thereof are welded together. In this manner, excessive waste of material in forming conventional ring members, wherein such conventional ring members are cut out from square plates, is eliminated. Segmentally-configured gusset plate members are welded to diametrically opposite internal peripheral portions of the annular ring member so as to respectively support a film roll carriage and dispensing assembly and a counterbalancing mechanism.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by: Letters Patent of the United States of America, is: 
     
       1. A composite ring member for mounting a film roll carriage and dispensing assembly thereon for rotation around a horizontal axis of a horizontal stretch-type film wrapping machine, comprising: an annular ring member, upon which a roll of stretch-film wrapping material is to be mounted, comprising a tubular member having a predetermined length and bent into an annular ring with opposite ends thereof welded together, said annular ring member defining an axis about which said annular ring member is adapted to be rotated and comprising an external peripheral surface portion and an internal peripheral surface portion;   a reinforcing ring member fixedly secured to said external peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member;   a first gusset support plate fixedly secured to a first region of said inner peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member for mounting a film roll carriage and a film roll dispensing assembly thereon; and   a second gusset support plate fixedly secured to a second region of said inner peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member, which is disposed diametrically opposite said first gusset support plate and said first region of said inner peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member, for mounting a mechanism for counterbalancing the film roll carriage and the film roll dispensing assembly mounted upon said first gusset support plate.   
     
     
       2. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said tubular member comprises tubular stock having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration.   
     
     
       3. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said reinforcing ring member is welded to said external peripheral portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       4. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 2, wherein: said reinforcing ring member is welded to an external peripheral side surface portion of said tubular member having said substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration.   
     
     
       5. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said reinforcing ring member comprises a steel plate bent around and welded to said external peripheral portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       6. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said first gusset support plate is welded to said first inner peripheral portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       7. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said second gusset support plate is welded to said second inner peripheral portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       8. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said first and second gusset support plates are fixed to said first and second inner peripheral portions of said annular ring member at axially central positions along said first and second inner peripheral portions of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       9. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 1, wherein: said first and second gusset support plates have substantially segmental configurations as defined by chord edge portions thereof intersecting arcuate portions thereof.   
     
     
       10. In a horizontal stretch-type film wrapping machine, a composite ring member for mounting a film roll carriage and dispensing assembly thereon for rotation around a horizontal axis of the horizontal stretch-type film wrapping machine, comprising: an annular ring member, upon which a roll of stretch-film wrapping material is to be mounted, comprising a tubular member having a predetermined length and bent into an annular ring with opposite ends thereof welded together, said annular ring member defining an axis about which said annular ring member is adapted to be rotated and comprising an external peripheral surface portion and an internal peripheral surface portion;   a reinforcing ring member fixedly secured to said external peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member;   a first gusset support plate fixedly secured to a first region of said inner peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member for mounting a film roll carriage and a film roll dispensing assembly thereon; and   a second gusset support plate fixedly secured to a second region of said inner peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member, which is disposed diametrically opposite said first gusset support plate and said first region of said inner peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member, for mounting a mechanism for counterbalancing the film roll carriage and the film roll dispensing assembly mounted upon said first gusset support plate.   
     
     
       11. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said tubular member comprises tubular stock having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration.   
     
     
       12. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said reinforcing ring member is welded to said external peripheral portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       13. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 11, wherein: said reinforcing ring member is welded to an external peripheral side surface portion of said tubular member having said substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration.   
     
     
       14. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said reinforcing ring member comprises a steel plate bent around and welded to said external peripheral portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       15. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said first gusset support plate is welded to said first inner peripheral portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       16. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said second gusset support plate is welded to said second inner peripheral portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       17. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said first and second gusset support plates are fixed to said first and second inner peripheral portions of said annular ring member at axially central positions along said first and second inner peripheral portions of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       18. The composite ring member as set forth in claim 10, wherein: said first and second gusset support plates have substantially segmental configurations as defined by chord edge portions thereof intersecting arcuate portions thereof.   
     
     
       19. A method of manufacturing a ring member for use within a horizontal-type stretch-film packaging machine, comprising the steps of: cutting tubular stock, having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration, to a predetermined length;   bending said tubular stock, cut to said predetermined length, into an annular ring member such that said annular ring member defines an axis about which said annular ring member can be rotated and wherein said annular ring member has external and internal peripheral surface portions defined thereon;   welding together opposite ends of said tubular stock bent into said annular ring member;   welding a reinforcing ring around said external peripheral portion of said annular ring member;   welding a first gusset plate upon a first region of said internal peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member for mounting a film roll carriage and film roll dispensing assembly of the packaging machine thereon; and   welding a second gusset plate upon a second region of said internal peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member, which is disposed diametrically opposite said first region of said internal peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member, for mounting a mechanism for counterbalancing the film roll carriage and film roll dispensing assembly mounted upon said first gusset support plate.   
     
     
       20. The method as set forth in claim 19, further comprising the step of: welding said first and second gusset plates to said first and second regions of said inner peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member at axially central positions along said first and second regions of said inner peripheral surface portion of said annular ring member.   
     
     
       21. The method as set forth in claim 19, further comprising the step of: forming said first and second gusset support plates as substantially segmental members as defined by respective chord edge portions intersecting respective arcuate portions thereof.